Third Mile

Questions first:

1. How were the Ruins?

    It was the coolest thing I have ever seen. Lamanite sacrificial altars and stuff........ I´ll tell everyone all about it when I get home. But I´m pretty sure Jesus Christ was very near there at one point as well....... It is so crazy to hear everything that the ancient people (Moches) believed.... some of it is very similar to our own doctrine, but you can see how it got corrupted just a hair, and sent the whole civilization into apostasy.

 

2.What are you doing for thanksgiving?

     Nothing..... ha ha ha ha

3. Is it warm yet?

     YES......... It´s SO humid here.......

4. Have you sent your package to Court yet? She is anxiously waiting.

    Nuestro secretario de suministros es nuevo, entonces él está aprendiendo un montón de cosas, y todavía no ha aprendido como enviar paquetes. Lo siento.

5. Where will you be skyping from for Christmas? Will you Skype me or me Skype you? Do you know what time yet? ( I am trying to figure Skype out)

    I have NO idea about any of that.... I´ll let you know when I do.

6. Did you get the missionary newsletter? How'd you like it?

     I finally got it a few days ago. I liked reading about all my friends. I can´t believe so much time has passed already.

7. How did the peanut butter popcorn work out?

     Everybody LOVED it. Sister Marler says she is going to make me make it more often.

8. How is your song coming?

     Well...... I have not had time to write it yet, except the chorus.

Can´t send pics. The USB port of my computer broke.... And the very heavens know that I cannot fix that..... ha ha ha ha.
 

Imagine this.......... Imagine that you have been waiting for 3 weeks to get a letter from one of the prettiest girls you know.... Imagine it is your only communication with her. Now imagine that the box of letters arrive. You run to the box to open, and begin searching through the box for your letter. All the letters look good except one, that is on a plastic bag. You shudder as you wonder if it is yours. You pull it out. It IS yours. You see the words "WE CARE" on the bag, followed by an explanation that the US postal system handles over 200 billion letters each year, and that accidents happen....... You remove the letter from the bag, and find that half of the letter has been ripped to shreds, probably by a machine on a conveyor belt somewhere......
Yep......
It stunk.

But equally as happy, I received Kaylee Hoppers letter, which shot happiness through every inch of my soul. I was SO happy when she told me she was going every week. I smiled for 2 whole days afterwards. Keep it up, Kaylee! Woo Woo!

I just want everyone back home to know how much I love them all. Every single one of them means so much to me. On my mission, I have missed a few things like Alternative rock, World War 2 documentaries, late night zombies games with Uncle, etc........ but the thing I have missed most of all by far is the company of people I love. There is something that you come to understand when you are far away from familiarity.... A kind of coldness that is inexplicable. And you come to this point, where you understand that if you truly love Jesus Christ, you will keep walking. So you keep walking. And then you get to another point where you understand that you will be walking a while. But you still know that you love Jesus Christ. And so you keep walking. You get tired. You get really lonely. You suffer sometimes. You struggle with a thousand things. But you still love Jesus Christ. And so.... you keep walking still. And even amidst the thickness of trials and loneliness and rejection and ridicule, Christ can make you happy. Nothing can change that.

It´s all about thinking "outward." When we focus on others, and LOSE OURLSEVES, nothing else in this great wide world matters. Selfishness is the fastest highway to misery. We kill ourselves when we try to take care of ourselves above all else. It is so ironic.

One last thought.... I think that in the past, going the second mile in life was sufficient. Going to church and obeying the word of wisdom was doing a lot. But everything that I am figuring out about the Gospel indicates that the journey doesn't stop at the end of mile two. This life is about going the third mile. Not just go to church, but bring friends. Not just read scriptures, but study them. Not just raise children, but teach them. It is the hardest and most rewarding way. And it is the only way that will do.

I love you mom, dad, Courtney,

-Elder Boekweg